by Ayesha Wise, Downtown Kitchen Assistant Manager

July 2018

Our Banh Mi and Cubano are both built on Avenue Bread’s ciabatta; a white-flour, Italian-style bread with a spongy consistency similar to French baguettes.

As you may have noticed, the Co-op is sporting some new grab-and-go sandwiches. We started producing them at the end of 2017 and I am excited to present our new partnership with Avenue Bread Bakery, which is taking our sandwiches to an even higher level of deliciousness.

The new sandwich options include the Rueben, Cubano, Banh Mi, our daily breakfast English muffins, and the newest release, a vegan chickpea salad sandwich. The Co-op takes pride in partnering with local businesses, and so does Robin Shrestha, wholesale manager at Avenue Bread.

taking our sandwiches to an even higher level of deliciousness

“My favorite part of working at Avenue Bread is being part of the Bellingham community and providing fresh bread every day to everybody in the community. I love the fact that we sell our bread to grocery stores, restaurants, the university, and the hospital, and at the end of the day we also provide bread to the food bank, the Lighthouse Mission, and other local charities.

“I was introduced to Avenue Bread when I got some of their bread through the Bellingham Food Bank for few months during a rough time in my life, and I am very appreciative of the owners, Wendy and John, for everything they do for the community.

“We are also very proud of launching our new line of Avenue Craft bread, so we can promote local farmers and local businesses. Avenue Craft is made entirely with flour from Cairnspring Mills, which is buying and milling local grain, and Fairhaven Organic Flour Mill, both located in Burlington,” said Robin.

The bakery also sources ingredients from Skagit Valley Malting, and Barbie’s Berries and Dairy Distributing, both in Bellingham.

As for sustainability, nothing goes to waste.

Avenue donates all day-old loaves from grocery stores to local charities, they compost and recycle pretty much everything (including plastic wraps), and all of their packaging is recyclable.

Our new partnership with Avenue Bread Bakery just goes to show that everything is better (and in this case, tastier) when we work with our friends!

Meet the Sandwiches

Vegan Chickpea Salad

Coarsely chopped garbanzo bean salad that includes celery, carrots, and just the right touch of spice to add a slight bite. It is topped off with tomatoes and crisp lettuce, all atop Avenue’s 8-inch sub.

The Co-op Cubano

Beeler’s Pure Pork Sliced Ham, housemade pulled pork, dill pickles, and yellow mustard all topped with Swiss cheese. Grab one of these tasty sandwiches to grill at home (if you can wait that long to eat it)!

Vegetarian Banh Mi

Sweet chili tofu, tomatoes, lettuce, and housemade Banh Mi vegetables that have been marinated for at least 24 hours in a rice vinegar mixture are complemented by in-house sriracha vegenaise and cilantro chutney.

Breakfast Sandwiches

Last but not least, we also switched to using Avenue’s English muffins on all of our breakfast sandwiches, which you can find on the hot bar every morning or anytime in the Co-op bakery café grab-and-go where your barista will gladly heat it up for you on the panini press.

The Co-op is here to make entertaining a breeze! Every department in our stores is stocked with carefully selected items to make your gathering special: bakery, deli, specialty cheese, wine and spirits, produce, meat, and grocery.

Choose from a wide variety of made from scratch, delicious sweets and savories for your next gathering.

From the Co-op Bakery

From the Co-op Deli

The Co-op deli-to-go offers trays and entrees to keep your guests fed and happy. Veggie, fruit, cheese, meats, kabobs, sandwiches ... choose your tray! Or, order an entree of your choice that is ready to heat and eat: spinach lasagna, veggie and bean enchilada, chicken enchilada, or vegetable frittata (recommend serving cold). Or you can simply stop by the deli service case or specialty cheese case and choose from our ample selection!

Do It Yourself

Choose from our large array of scratch-made dips and spreads, cheese, charcuterie, olives, crackers, and other goodies to create a finger-food panoply that your guests will love. Need advice on pairings? Just ask our cheese buyers or deli counter staff. We're happy to help! Consider adding a bottle of wine or spirits!

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

The Co-op has everything you need to make your Thanksgiving dinner the best it can be—from decor to dessert!

Thanksgiving is the Olympics of food, family, and traditions. The rituals and foods we eat on Thanksgiving evoke memories of years gone by, and set traditions that future generations will carry forward: laughing and working together in the kitchen, preparing beloved family recipes, savoring the aroma of a favorite entree as it wafts through the house, setting the table for a sit-down dinner with friends or neighbors, or opening a special bottle of wine saved particularly for this holiday celebration.

The Co-op knows how important this meal can be, and we have carefully selected the very best ingredients to help you make this Thanksgiving memorable, and manageable. We’re here to lend a helpful hand with appetizers, side dishes, entrees, desserts, and wine.

Deli

The case will be brimming with delicious salads, stuffings, gravies, side dishes, and even roasted turkey and other entrees. Every item is prepared from scratch in the Co-op kitchens using the highest quality ingredients we can source. Ask to taste a sample of any item in the case.

Deli To Go

Our deli also offers a variety of prepared trays—veggie, fruit, cheese, Mediterranean, meat and cheese, sandwich, or kabobs. Housemade entrees are also available by the pound—spinach lasagna, veggie and bean enchilada, chicken enchilada, or vegetable frittata.

Bakery

Our bakers are at the ready to create the dessert of your dreams. Pies, cakes, and myriad other delights are available to pre-order with 72 hours advance notice. Or just stop by the store to pick up your favorite! Our bakery cases will be full of delectable goodies, including vegan and gluten-free options.

Specialty Cheese

Peruse our carefully curated selection of cheese, charcuterie, jams and jellies, and fancy crackers for all your entertaining purposes, as well as chocolate for holiday baking and decorating. We also have butters, mascarpone, ricotta, crème fraiche, and cream cheese for those mouth-watering holiday recipes.

Meat Department

We are pleased to once again offer a large selection of Mary’s Free Range Turkeys. We’re also happy to suggest other options for folks who would rather forgo the bird.

Produce Department

Revel in the abundant selection of fresh organic produce to make your holiday meal shine. And pick up a beautiful floral bouquet for the table.

Grocery and Bulk

Find all the extras you need to spice up your meal and take it to the next level of deliciousness. Experiment with new spices and ingredients from bulk, and shop for gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, and other specialty organic grocery items.

Wine, Beer, and Spirits

Shop the vast selection of the best local, imported, and specialty adult beverages. There is something for every budget, and our wine and beer buyers are happy to make pairing recommendations that will perfectly complement your meal.

Mercantile Department

Other Inspiration

Be on the lookout for tastings and other special events prior to the holiday. We wish you a festive and scrumptious holiday with your loved ones.

Special Orders

Don’t forget that Co-op member-owners can special order items from most any department by the case for a 15 percent (or greater) discount off shelf prices. Just ask at the service desk and learn more about how you can save with special orders.

At the Service Desk

Have questions? Need help finding something? Just ask our friendly service desk staff. They are always happy to help!

by Sara Young, Prepared Foods Manager

Using quality ingredients and several healthy dashes of creativity and dedication, our experienced team of deli cooks makes all the delicious food in our deli case, hot bar, soup bar, and grab-n-go cases from scratch in our kitchens. Our goal is to offer something delicious to satisfy most every Co-op shopper, regardless of allergies or other dietary needs. Ask for a sample if you want to try something new!

I arrive groggy at 6 am, one hour after the kitchen crew arrives. They have been busy making sandwiches for all three Co-op locations, including the amazing bakery cafe on Holly Street.

The Cordata kitchen buzzes with activity an incredible 17 hours a day.

The kitchens are led by Chef Kurt Stauber (Cordata) and Kitchen Manager James Aikins (Downtown). The combined experience of the kitchen crew numbers over 200 years and the result is a menu that is widely varied and delicious. Paul Manthe, a cook with the Co-op for over 20 years, brings with him a recipe catalog so vast it is not a stretch to say that in those 20 years he has still not used all of his recipes.

Chef Kurt Stauber

Kurt Stauber, Cordata kitchen manager

James Aikins, Downtown kitchen manager

Paul Manthe, Downtown cook

Chef Kurt Stauber brings with him the skill and expertise of a trained chef, and the boundless energy of a puppy dog. He does everything he can to mentor his team, while James Aikins provides a steady, calm energy and knowledge of the Co-op deli history to help drive menu selection.

The deli crew is continually working with Kurt and James to improve and perfect the deli recipes and create new recipes that will bring new life to the entire menu.

All of this while holding fast to the deli’s values of organic, local, seasonal, GMO-free, and as always, free of the Dirty Dozen*.

The food in the Cordata and Downtown hot bars (and salad bars) is almost entirely organic—it’s a distinction that we are quite proud of and one that we share with you by highlighting every organic ingredient on our daily hot bar menus.

The food in the Cordata and Downtown hot bars (and salad bars) is almost entirely organic.

On the hot bar every Friday is the amazing Chef’s seasonal special, and this is where deli cooks create new and exciting recipes under consideration for rotation in our permanent offerings. I would go so far as to say that if you can try the Co-op hot bar any day, Friday is the day to do it. It is like getting a peak behind the kitchen door, to the heart and soul of the food production operation.

To be sure, this is not your typical hot bar, usually laden with heavy carbohydrates and empty calories.

This is an organic, high-protein, veggie table of delight that is unlike any other hot bar in the region.

And I am the person who is lucky enough to oversee this operation, this team of highly passionate and skilled workers; a group of people whose standards have inspired me to expect miracles.

by Robin Elwood, Downtown deli

Downtown Deli Assistant Manager Robin Elwood resupplies the salad bar fixin’s. The hot bar and salad bar are the same low price per pound, so you can mix and match the just-right amount of any items you desire for your perfect plate.

One of the best parts of my job in early summer is watching the procession of the species. I don’t mean the parade in Downtown Bellingham, although that is awesome too. I’m talking about the procession of fresh produce boxes that makes its way into the Co-op kitchens every morning.

In winter, many of those boxes come from places farther afield, such as California, Canada, and Mexico. But around this time of year, more and more of the boxes are direct from the hands of local farmers.

When I ran into Joe Hill, assistant manager in the Downtown deli kitchen, I asked him what was new with the procession of produce. Recently, Joe and the other kitchen managers reviewed the salad bar, hot bar, and deli case to assess the state of our non-GMO and organic ingredients.

It turns out that our bar was already almost entirely organic. “We basically have the least-renowned organic salad bar in Bellingham,” Joe told me with a grin.

Every fresh ingredient in the salad bar is organic and non-GMO certified. The few exceptions—black olives, housemade Breadfarm croutons, and mandarin orange slices—cannot be sourced as organic, but are the cleanest available product the kitchen staff can find.

“That is something we’re very proud of,” Joe said. “What we serve is priced affordably, and we are dedicated to absolute transparency of sources and ingredients.”

Along with the organic produce flooding into the kitchen, Prepared Foods Manager Nick Barrett gave me good news about another change. Both the Cordata and Downtown deli kitchens have committed to a new supplier of organic chicken—Smart Chicken—for all the deli food we make from scratch in our kitchens. That includes the hot bar, salad bar, and the chicken dishes and salads in the deli cases.

Founded in 1998 in the Midwest, Smart Chicken strives to be an alternative to the race-to-the-bottom horror show that is American poultry production. Not only are they certified organic, they are also committed to verifiable humane raising, butchering, and production standards. And, intentionally make their workplace safe and sustainable.

As Nick, Joe, and I finished talking, I heard the background sound of a smoothie being blended. The all-organic, design-your-own smoothie menu at all three Co-op locations has been a hot seller. For example, more than 1,300 people bought a smoothie at the Downtown store in March. As the weather heats up, we’re prepared to make an absolutely ridiculous number of drinks.

If you haven’t visited the Co-op deli, hot bar, salad bar, or organic smoothie and espresso bars lately, we welcome you to stop by for the freshest, tastiest organic food in town made right here in the Co-op kitchens!

by Jeremy Meadows, Cordata Deli

Ahhhh, food. You are so many things: life giver, health sustainer, joy bringer…but peacemaker? Come on! But before you scoff, skeptical reader, consider for a moment how effective food can be in bringing peaceful resolutions to many of our everyday squabbles and skirmishes. Need to stop a baby from crying? Feed it! Need to halt a pack of vicious dogs? Throw ’em a bone! Seriously, just try to stay mad at someone after they’ve made you soup. But could the pacifying powers of food be brought to bear on relations between nations?

As it turns out, there are many who think they can. Guided by the belief that the best way to people’s hearts and minds is through their stomachs, thinkers such as Paul Rockower and Sam Chapple-Sokol are pioneering a new (and more delicious) brand of peacemaking—culinary diplomacy. The idea is pretty simple: the stronger the cultural relations that exist between nations, the less willing they will be to make war and the more willing they will be to make peace. And what better way to bring everyone to the table—figuratively and literally—than with some delicious food?

"consider for a moment how effective food can be in bringing peaceful resolutions"

But even though food is very often the easiest access point to the culture of another people, it should not be the sum of our knowledge or interest in that culture—especially when our respective governments are at odds. This is the motivation behind Pittsburgh’s Conflict Kitchen, a cafe that builds its menu around the cuisine of whichever country the U.S. happens to be in conflict with at the moment. The current cuisine is Afghani, but past menus have focused on the food of Iran, Venezuela, and North Korea. Once they have lured you in with tasty arepas or kebabs, they seek to provide a richer understanding of the culture and politics of the focus country than that typically provided by traditional media or political rhetoric. Their goal is not to be subversive or edgy. They simply understand that even if our countries are at war, it is imperative to acknowledge and respect the humanity of others. And what could be more humanizing than food?

Following their lead, I’ve chosen a recipe from Russia, the focus of our conflict du jour. Regardless of whether or not Russia’s recent actions are justifiable, it cannot be denied that there is much work to be done in the department of cross-cultural understanding between our two nations. So, let’s begin with pancakes! Just be sure to invite some friends—or better yet enemies—over to enjoy it.

Blini • Russian Buckwheat Pancakes

INGREDIENTS for the BLINI

¾ cup white flour

1¼ cup buckwheat flour

¾ teaspoon salt

1¼ teaspoon quick-rise dry yeast

1 egg, separated

1¼ cup milk (whole or 2%)

(These can be made gluten free by omitting the white flour and upping the buckwheat flour to 2 cups, but they won’t be quite as fluffy.)

INGREDIENTS for SWEET TOPPING

1 cup blueberries or other berry (if large, like a strawberry, slice thin)

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons lime juice

creme fraiche

INGREDIENTS for SAVORY TOPPING

1–2 ounces smoked salmon

¾ cup creme fraiche

1 tablespoon each finely chopped fresh dill, tarragon, and chives

METHOD

In a large bowl whisk flours together with salt and yeast.

In another bowl whisk together egg yolk and milk. Reserve egg white.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in egg yolk and milk. Mix until smooth, then cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place to let the batter rise, at least two hours, preferably four.

Meanwhile, make the toppings. Add the blueberries to a small bowl with sugar and lime juice and mix. In another bowl mix 3/4 cup creme fraiche with herbs. Keep in fridge.

Once batter has risen, whisk egg white until stiff, then fold into batter.

Cook as you would cook tiny pancakes. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with grapeseed or vegetable oil to ¼-inch depth and heat over medium high. When the oil is hot, carefully add the batter, about 1 large tablespoon for each blini. Don’t overcrowd. When the bottoms are browned and the tops are bubbling flip and cook other side.

Remove to a plate, top each with a little butter, and keep warm while you cook the rest. Top some with smoked salmon and a small dollop of herbed creme fraiche, and others with blueberry mixture and plain creme fraiche.

by Jeremy Meadows, Cordata Deli

This hearty lentil stew makes for a perfect dinner on a chilly evening. It comes together easily in one pot and is a real crowd pleaser.

Allow me to introduce you to five of my best friends: sweet, salt, sour, bitter, and umami—aka savory (I’d introduce you to smoky too, but he stepped outside for a puff). Now I’m willing to bet that you are already acquainted with these friends of mine. In fact, I’ll bet that they are hanging around your place right now. By themselves, each can be pretty great. But the very best meals are the ones where the whole gang gets together. And preparing great meals is simply a matter of achieving the proper balance between them. Typically, this is accomplished by serving up multiple courses or side dishes—think of the savory deliciousness of barbecued ribs, slathered in a vinegary sauce, with a side of super sweet corn and some slightly bitter collard greens. But for arguably better results, and a much smaller mess to clean up afterward, I like to do everything in one pot.

the very best meals are the ones where the whole gang gets together

Cooking everything together allows the flavors to mingle and deepen, bringing out the best in one another (as all good friends should) and ensuring complexity in every bite. Ever wonder why Thai curries are so good? It’s because Thai cooks have mastered the art of balancing the five flavors in one incredible dish. Perhaps we can’t all aspire to such greatness, but we can all be good cooks. And one-pot cooking is a great way to start.

One-pot lentil stew is easy, relatively mess free, and allows for creativity. I like the smokiness of chorizo in this recipe, but ground pork or turkey would work well. Too salty? Add some sweetness. Too rich? Add some acidity.

Just remember that in cooking, as in our friendships and other endeavors, seeking the proper balance is key.

Sweet & Savory Chorizo Lentil Stew

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ to ¾ pounds ground Spanish chorizo

1 large yellow onion, ½-inch dice

4 large carrots, ½-inch dice

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons soy sauce

4 cups chicken stock (or veggie stock or water)

1 cup brown lentils, rinsed

1 pound kale or other hardy green, torn into 2-inch pieces

½ cup dried cranberries (or raisins, currants, or other dried fruit)

Large pinch of paprika

Large pinch of cumin

1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or rice vinegar

METHOD

Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add chorizo and brown all over, breaking it up into bits. Remove with slotted spoon or spatula, leaving the oil in the pot. Drain on paper towels.

Add onions and carrots and cook, stirring often, until they begin to caramelize, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and soy sauce, and continue to cook, stirring often, until richly caramelized. If the vegetables become too dry, add a little more oil.

Add the chicken stock and lentils and bring to a boil, then turn heat to medium low, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, but not mushy (15–20 minutes).

Add the reserved chorizo, along with the paprika and cumin, and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes to let the flavors meld. If it seems dry, add more liquid.

Add the kale and cranberries. Cook until kale is wilted and cranberries are plump. Stir in vinegar and enjoy.

New to charcuterie?

Try these simple serving suggestions. Add your favorite mustards or other condiments, but keep it relatively simple to let the flavors of these quality, handcrafted meats shine..

Fra’ Mani sopressata

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Genepi Alpine tomme de savoie

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hearty ale

+

Avenue Bread or Breadfarm crusty baguette

Fra’ Mani mortadella

+

Mama Lil's pickled peppers

+

Cucina & Amore jarred artichoke quarters

+

organic olive oil

+

crusty sweet roll

Creminelli prosciutto cotto

+

butter

+

Avenue Bread or Breadfarm crusty baguette

or

use in any sandwich or recipe calling for ham

Fra’ Mani capicollo

+

broccoli rabe

+

Jeff's Naturals pepperoncini peppers

+

anchovies

+

garlic

Braise the broccoli rabe in olive oil with anchovies, garlic, and a little salt until tender. Slice focaccia through the middle to create two sides. Toast the bread to medium brown on its cut side. Brush with extra virgin olive oil and rub with garlic. Arrange the broccoli rabe, anchovies, and garlic all over the surface of the bread and top with thinly sliced spicy capicollo and Calabrian peppers. Serve open-faced.

by Robin Elwood, Downtown Deli Assistant Manager

Mike in the Cordata deli will slice your charcuterie to order (with a smile!).

The Co-op is proud to announce the arrival of Fra’ Mani and Creminelli charcuteries! Co-op deli staff sought out the highest quality, artisan, handcrafted, additive-free meats for our shoppers, and we are excited to share them with you. Curious to learn more about what makes these two purveyors exceptional? Read on, and ask for a sample the next time you are in the deli.

the highest quality, artisan, handcrafted, additive-free meats

Fra’ Mani, based in Berkeley, California, represents approximately a decade of artisanal, hand-packed, naturally cured meat. Started by slow-food chef Paul Bertolli, their mission is to “keep old world traditions alive...using ingredients of the highest quality from sustainable sources.” Their meat, chiefly pork, comes from family farmers committed to the well-being of their animals and their land. The animals are never given antibiotics, artificial growth hormones, growth-promoting agents, or meat by-products, and are raised on pasture or in deeply bedded pens.

Creminelli, the other main supplier of the Co-op’s new charcuterie assortment, is at least a fourth-generation family producer of Salumi. The current generation moved from Italy to Utah in 2007, bringing the company with them, and searched for a landscape and an heirloom breed of pig suitable for making their traditional recipes. Their Duroc-breed pigs are raised in open living conditions, with all-natural standards similar to Fra’ Mani’s.

Many artisan producers pride themselves on the “story” that goes with their food, and both Fra’ Mani and Creminelli’s websites put family origin and culinary vision front and center. However, any corporation can write a vague story to go with their product. What sets these producers apart is a verifiable commitment to specific animal welfare and sustainability practices. And, of course, by their insistence that what they do creates an especially delicious product.

The real test comes when a room full of professional meat eaters sits in a back room at the Co-op’s Cordata store passing around a plate of charcuterie. Andy Adams, a representative from Peterson (one of the Co-op’s distributors), was running the deli slicer and leading a training on the vocabulary and variety of Italian-style preserved meats.

Andy led the group quickly through the definitions: salumi is a general Italian term for salted, cured, meats including salami, mortadella, sopressata, lardo, porchetta, cotta, etc. The cuts of meat, spices added, and curing times vary, but all of them originated as ways of preserving meat before refrigeration. They have endured due to both their durability and their tastiness.

“One of the great things about salami calabrese is that, despite the Calabrian pepper flakes giving it some heat, you also taste the flavor of the heirloom pork. Unless a customer wants something different, slice it about as thin as a dime,” said Andy.

At this point, Andy pauses and looks around the room. Everyone is eating salami calabrese. No one is listening to him.

“Oh,” he said. “Should I slice some more of that and hand it around again?”

The Cordata deli launched the new line of charcuterie first, and customers have been wildly responsive. Additionally, the deli team has some blockbuster sandwich suggestions utilizing slices of the various offerings. Downtown, the deli remodel delayed the arrival of these new products, but some of the smaller salami is available in the specialty cheese case. If all goes as planned, the full assortment will also be available in the Downtown deli by early February—sliced to order, with descriptions and samples galore.

And, yes, it includes that salami calabrese that stops all conversation.